Us
by GoodDayKindSir
Summary: AU Noah Puckermen always wondered about his first love. In one night he finds out just that after meeting with her. Puckleberry with mentions of Quick.


_Hello. I think I owe answers, don't you? Haha. Umm. So I am trying to work on Looking for Something but it gives me writers block. I work better with non-Happily Ever Afters. Its what you get when your family has much divorce as mine_. _I am working on it, it just kills me. _

_Anyway, this is a story about first loves. I dedicate this to mine who I never told I loved him. I would publish his name but he is a friend on facebook. _

_I am working on many stories lately and hope to publish them soon._

_Disclaimer: Don't own Glee. Don't own Grease. Don't own Theres Us. These would be fun things to own though, don't you think?  
><em>

_Happy reading. And fans of Looking for Something-please don't kill me!_

_Love,_

_-Sami_

* * *

><p>For Noah Puckerman, succeeding in his first major album was a life changing accomplishment. Today he stood on a simple stage, performing the inaugural performance for his tour. He had made a point to announce the performance on his facebook page. For his friends. For his family. For his fans. For her.<p>

The first girl who saw him. His best friend whom he fell in love with in during course of seventh grade. One day she was there and the next she had transferred schools. They had tried to stay in touch, yet over time they lost each other. By ninth grade he didn't even know what she looked like. At the start of eleventh grade she had found him on facebook and once again he learned who she was.

She had moved. She was no longer the queen of the stage, but the empress of the classroom. She had become the brain she was always careful not to become. He had stayed in Lima. He was no longer the bully, but the king of the stage taking leads in glee club. He had become something his childhood self would had loathed.

This was how he found her. Knowing her through occasional messages. Flipping through her facebook pictures (usually posted by someone else). He wanted to know her. He wanted her to know him. This was his chance, his concert. It was being performed in her city. Maybe she would find her way.

That night he performed his heart, wondering with each note about her. Afterwards his girlfriend, Quinn, put her arms around him, pride, love, and excitement being shown in her every movement. He loved Quinn, she was beautiful, kind, intelligent, but she wasn't her. He was happy to have someone by his side tonight, sharing in the magic. He just wanted a moment alone to process it all.

He walked into the seating for the audience as they all left, savoring the feeling that this was to be his life: stages, music, and the adrenaline rush of it all. His dream had come true, and yet she hadn't come. Then he heard it.

"I for one am impressed Noah," her voice rang as clear as bell through the seating.

He turned to look at the woman standing by the stage. She was a stranger. Her long brown hair that she used to pull into a ponytail was now fashioned into a short bob an inch longer then her chin. The girl who once lived in beaten up converse, tattered jeans, and graphic t-shirts was now wearing black peep toed heels and a brown, blue and black cap-sleeved dress.

All he could say was, "Wow."

"I think I am the one who is supposed to say that." She walked toward him, not in the careful steps of a shy seventh grader, but the confident stride of a woman who knew she was, "You were amazing out there tonight."

He smiled. She was definitely more confident, finally saying what she felt instead of hiding it behind a book or script. Quietly the two decided to go on a walk through the streets of New York.

They carefully began their conversation not nearing the subject that hung heavily in the air of what might have been.

"So do you live in New York," he had to ask the girl who once dreamed of Broadway.

She laughed, "Uh, no. Boston actually."

"Boston, really?"

"Yeah, there are some good schools there."

"Schools as in colleges?" it confused him, the Rachel Berry had once known would never had put into school then necessary as to get too the Great White Way.

"Yes," not understanding his confusion, "I am at Boston University working on my masters in history."

"You want to be a historian, " His confusion edged through his voice, "That's not who you are supposed to be."

She paused to look him in the face, "If we supposed to become who we projected we were to be in middle school then you would be a Lima Loser Noah."

Her words hit him with force in his chest. It was the truth. They had both become something their past selves would have not become.

He had to ask, "How did it happen? The decent from Broadway couldn't have been small?"

They then began to walk a bench, realizing where this conversation was taking them. She began the simple story, "I fell down a flight of stairs midway through ninth grade. I broke my leg. I couldn't dance. Not as a performer was supposed to anyway. I nearly died realizing I couldn't go on Broadway."

"So you changed yourself because you broke your leg?"

"Not at all Noah, I just changed dreams. I couldn't live knowing that my dreams would only be lived halfway. I still love Broadway. I watch the Tony's every year. I know who the biggest stars are. I am just a person with new career goals. I aim for the stars that are easier to attain in my current condition. It's a challenge to try to get a Ph.D but I love the challenge of academia as much as I loved that challenge of performing."

He was baffeled, how had she let her dream go, it was unfathomable. "So what, your glad you broke your leg!"

She turned to look at him with a glare, "Noah Puckerman, its been nine years since we last saw each other, we had to grow, we had to let go of prior ideas. I honestly believe I became the person I am supposed be. Was it hard, yes! But I am glad to be who I am, aren't you?"

He thought for a moment. He was happy, happier than he had ever been. Job, girl, music, his life. He wouldn't change it even if his past self would punch him. Once again Rachel Berry was right.

"So you believe that you are supposed to be where you are today in your life?"

She smiled wistfully and looked up to the stars, "Douglas Adams once said, 'I may not have gone where I intended to go but I do believe I have ended up where I intended to be,'" she paused before she continued, "I believe every moment in my life has lead to me sitting here one this bench, with you, after almost ten years and still feeling as comfortable as I did in the cafeteria at Lima Hills Junior High."

This was it. The moment. The one he had craved since he had admitted to his thirteen year old self how he felt for the girl. He looked toward the ground and whispered, "We were in love, weren't we?"

He heard a sigh being released from her chest as he lifted his head to look at her, still gazing at sky as she answered, "I know we were in love as much as two thirteen year olds could have been."

He lightly touched her hand that sat on the bench. "I am happy that you came tonight Rachel," he whispered to her.

"How could I not?" She looked him in the eyes, "Noah, you will never be just anybody to me. You were my first love."

He let out a bitter laugh, "But we never did anything with that love."

"How can you say that?" she grabbed his hand in her own. "We loved each other and love is an emotion that works in mysterious ways. I know that feeling what I felt for you gave me the confidence to become who I was meant to be."

He nodded. Once she had left their middle school he felt this emptiness in his life without the music she brought which propelled him to study it. To love it. He owed it all to her. His first guitar lesson, his entry into the glee club, his record deal. She gave him music. She was a part of his life even after she left.

She gave him so much, he wondered aloud, "What did I give you?"

"Noah," her voice confused, "You gave me the chance to learn that I was more than music. That I was intelligent. Sure, we spoke of artists, but we also discussed our lessons. I remember feeling amazed at having intellectual conversations. You gave me that. The map to who I am."

After those words they sat on the bench holding hands as innocently as the thirteen years old they once were never did. Slowly night passed by them, no words exiting their mouths until a phone beeped.

"Oh my goodness," Rachel exclaimed looking at the alarm on her phone, "I have to be on a train back to Boston in thirty minutes."

The two rose from the bench, "I am really sorry Noah. I am so proud of you and I hope you know that."

He smiled as she kissed his cheek in farewell, watching her hail a cab when a thought passed his head, "Rachel!" he called out.

He watched as she told the cab driver to wait and then ran in heels to meet him, "Yes Noah?"

He grabbed both of her hands in his, "Do you ever regret that nothing happened between us?"

"Never."

He was shocked, "Why?"

She smiled brightly, "Because Noah, my first love was untainted. No heartbreak, no cheating, no tears. Just an innocent pure love that I can cherish. I feel lucky for that."

"Nothing happened," Noah stated. This was thing that pained him. He never kissed his first love, he never held her hand. No girlfriend title, no boyfriend title. He just loved her.

"We loved each other Noah. That was what happened," the cab behind her honked for her attendance. She let out a sigh and began rummaging through the bag she carried, "Look Noah I don't have much time, but when I knew I was going to see you I printed out something."

She handed him a piece of paper and explained, "I found this song when I was fourteen. It summed up our relationship for me and helped me come to terms with what we were. Maybe it will help you."

The taxi honked again, she sighed. "I got to go," impulsively she leaned forward and kissed him chastely on the lips.

"I always wondered what that would feel like."

With those words she left Noah Puckerman on the sidewalk standing not knowing what to do. She always did leave him speechless.

It wasn't until two days later, sitting on a plane to Virginia Beach with Quinn sleeping on his shoulder that Noah remembered the lyrics she had given him. Quickly he rambled his way through his things until he found the folded piece of paper.

He began to read it, the lyrics reminding him of his first love.

There's Us By Alexz Johnson

**There's me  
>Looking down at my shoes<br>The one smiling like the sun  
>That's you<strong>

_A young Noah stood with his friend Dave as Dave teased a sixth grade Rachel._

"_Oh I Rache. How are you Rache? Feeling okay Rachy?" Dave taunted her._

_Rachel stared at her glittery pinked converse and then looked up to glare at Dave, "Its Rachel you Neanderthal. Rachel. Get. It. Right."_

_The two boys let out a laugh. Noah came to first, "Come on Dave. She probably has a play to rehearse."_

_She let out a huff, "I'll have you know that I am playing Cinderella in our school's production of Into the Woods." _

_With that she left the hallway._

_Hours later Noah would be in the library during lunch when he heard someone singing beautifully in the book cases, "Into the woods without regret. The choice is made, the task is set. Into the woods but not forgetting why I'm on the journey."_

_He slowly turned until he found Rachel Berry sitting in the non-fiction section with sheet music in front of her._

_As if feeling his precense, she turned to look at him. He blushed as he stumbled over his words while looking at his Nikes, "You sing very well."_

_Rachel looked up at him, her eyes bright, her teeth white, "Thank you!"_

_Rachel Berry and Noah Puckerman then became friends._**  
>What were you thinking<br>What was the song inside your head**

_She was humming that stupid song again. It was annoying. Particularly when sitting next to her in English, watching her stare at Jesse St. James, the lead in the spring play._

"_Why don't you ask him out?" Noah offered in annoyance._

"_Noah! I will have you know that thirteen is too young to be dating," he rolled his eyes at this as she continued, "And while I do believe that Jesse possesses strength in his acting I do not like him romantically."_

"_Then who do you like?" he taunted._

_A blush painted her cheeks as she denied, "I don't like anybody."_

_He rolled his eyes again as she continued humming the song. He eventually put his pen down in frustration, "If I am going to have to listen to you hum the stupid song can I at least know what it is?"_

_She smiled, "Olivia Newton-John, Grease, Hopelessly Devoted to You."_

_He sighed, with a title like that she had to like somebody and when he found out who it was he would be kicking their butts._**  
>There's us<br>Going on about a band  
>Working out how we play our hand<strong>

_For once Noah was the one listening to music. Rachel was curious and asked who it was. He answered Green Day. She scoffed at the name and proclaimed, "Their not Broadway so they are not good."_

_He smirked, "You never know Rachel, they could become a band like ABBA that has a musical made after their music."_

"_Never!" she shrieked._

_He egged her on, "I can see it now, Rachel Berry starring a musical on Broadway in a Green Day based musical."_

_She frowned, "The only thing accurate about that statement was me being on Broadway."_

_He smiled at her. She was so cute when she was passionate._

**I lay there dreaming  
>Later all alone in my bed<br>**

_Noah was smiling as he thought of Rachel's performance in the spring play. She was esquisite. She was talented. She was…Rachel Berry. Perfect as she was playing Cinderella, she was even more magnificent as herself. That was his favorite role for her anyway._

**If I was stupid  
>Maybe careless<br>So were you  
><strong>

_Noah Puckerman was going to the spring dance with Santana Lopez. When Rachel heard this she quickly found a date with Finn Hudson. Everything was fine (except for the two friends not speaking with one another because they were mad that they weren't the other person's date) until halfway through the dance until Noah accidentally bumped into Finn causing a fight._

_Rachel quickly broke up the fight, scolding both boys, but giving Noah the dirtiest look. Noah felt ashamed. He had just wanted to be her date and she had to go with stupid Hudson._

_After the dance he found Rachel waiting for her dads outside the school. _

"_Hudson's not giving you a ride home?" the first words he had spoken to her in a week._

_She shook her head, "No. He had to walk home. Daddy is picking me up."_

_He watched her shiver and then put his jacket over her shoulders. She smiled up at him as he sat next to her. _

"_So how was your date?" she inquired._

_He shrugged, "She didn't know that much about musicals. How was yours?"_

_She smiled, "He didn't know a thing about Green Day."_

Freeze-frame  
>I'm not about to cry<br>It's too late for us to change  
>Why try<p>

_Then it came, the news. Her dad had received a promotion and her family was leaving Lima. She cried as she told Noah the news. He knew then that she would never be his prom date or his girlfriend, but she would always be his best friend._

**I've got a camera  
>Tucked away inside my heart<strong>

_The last week of seventh grade was simultaneously the best and worst of his life. He spent every moment laughing and smiling with Rachel, knowing that soon it would be impossible. He was losing her, all he could do was hold onto what his at the time and maybe forever_

If I'm a loser  
>Or just unlucky<br>So are you

_Despite promising to stay in contact, they hadn't. Over time they lost each other to life. Yet their positions in school switched. In their old school Noah was losing popularity because he joined choir. She gained popularity at her new school because of her brains and voice. Despite the changes the two friends missed each other dearly._

_They now had admitted to themselves and even others that they had loved the other person._

_Except now they were too late._

Somewhere between then and now  
>I look away when you said we'll never change<p>

_Eventually he found her one facebook, four years after losing her. She had promised that she would never change and yet her profile didn't mention music, or showcase performances. Instead it boasted AP scores and pictures of her Academic Decathlon team._

_She had changed between the time he had last seen her as his best friend and now, when he was merely a facebook friend. So much had changed about her and he knew nothing about the person she had become._

_Silently it broke his heart. _**  
><strong>

**And if you think what might have been  
>You'll lose today and we've got songs to play<strong>

_Eventually he had fallen in love again. Quinn Fabray. Loving her was easy. No boundaries. No fear. He still wondered about Rachel and how she had turned out, but he knew now that her love was a beautiful thing of the past._

_In order to love Quinn as she deserved to be he had to remember that he now had Quinn and Rachel was a childhood memory._

_As a musician he played music from his heart. From his soul. Now Rachel wasn't the only person to have piece of his heart. Quinn had a larger part of it and he had to play for her._

_Because Rachel was memory._

**Not everything is supposed to come true  
>Some words are best unsaid<br>Some love is not really love at all  
>I'll keep everything I shared with you<br>And that's enough  
>There's us<strong>

Noah smiled as he read the chorus to the song one last time. Rachel and him never happened. Just because they never said, "I love you" didn't mean it was less real. It just meant they weren't ready for love. He was now okay with that. All of the memories he had of her were perfect. Even the ones from two nights ago.

He could never forget her. She was a part of his soul. She was his first love. She was perfect as picture time.

Quinn stirred awake as the plane touched the ground. She smiled at him as he kissed her nose. Some things were memories of the past, but looking at Quinn he knew that some things were meant to be stronger then memories. Love imprinted the soul.

Rachel had his heart first and he would never forget that. Yet she wouldn't be the only person to hold his heart and he was now okay with that.


End file.
